Exemplar Coaching

Live by Design, Not by Default.

CoffeeChat 45 – Established

Edition  45

Established

Last Edition Recap
How have you applied the last edition to your life?
Opening Prayer
Everlasting Lord, You have always been, and You always will be; nothing is before You, nor will there be anything after You. You are the beginning and the end. Teach us to be established in You. Amen.
Introduction
You’re down to your last 1000 bucks (whatever currency you use) and must invest it in one of two financial institutions. Both present their history and track record. First company: established 1915. Second company: established one week ago. Which would you trust with your money? Obviously the established one. When we consider our earthly resources, we want the most from them. We invest them wisely, care how they’re managed, can’t afford them to be squandered. Definition: “Established”—having been in existence for a long time and therefore recognised and generally accepted. Now consider Genesis 1. Before the world, before light, before anything—God. “In the beginning God…” Not “God began” but “In the beginning, God already was.” Established before establishment itself. The One who created time isn’t bound by it. The One who spoke existence into being existed before existence. Yet we trust our souls to things established yesterday—trends, philosophies, human institutions that won’t last a generation. We invest our eternal souls in temporary establishments whilst the Eternal Establisher offers permanent security. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me,” says Jesus. The question isn’t whether you’ll invest your soul—you will. The question is whether you’ll invest it in what’s established last week or in Who’s established forever.
Chat Point 1
  1. Which company would you trust with your last 1000 bucks—the one established in 1915 or last week?
  2. Why would you choose the established institution over the new one?
  3. How do we treat our earthly investments more carefully than our spiritual investments?
  4. What makes something or someone trustworthy in your eyes?
  5. If those 1000 bucks represented your entire soul, where would you invest it?
Read
Genesis 1, Psalm 146, Matthew 6:25-34
Key Focus
Psalm 146:3-4,10 – “Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing… The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations.”
Chat Point 2
  1. What stood out about God being there “in the beginning” before anything was created?
  2. According to Genesis 1, who established the world, and when was God established?
  3. How do we put our trust in humankind over putting our trust in God?
  4. What is Jesus teaching us about the investment and care for our souls?
  5. In what ways do we disinvest from eternal life by investing in temporary things?
Final Thought
Psalm 146 warns: “Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save.” Why? “When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.” The investment firm established in 1915 seems solid until you realise it’s only 109 years old. The humans who started it are dead. Their plans have already come to nothing. But “The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations.” This isn’t about religion versus business. It’s about recognising what’s truly established versus what merely appears stable. We carefully research earthly investments, read reviews, check track records, diversify portfolios—for money that will return to dust. Yet we carelessly invest our eternal souls in whatever’s trending, whatever feels good, whatever the culture establishes as acceptable this decade. Jesus asks in Matthew 6: “Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” If God feeds birds and clothes flowers, won’t He care for you? But first, seek His kingdom—the only established kingdom that will never fail. Your soul is your only eternal investment. Where are you banking it? In institutions that won’t survive the century or in the God who was established before time began? Choose wisely. Eternity is a long time to regret a bad investment.
My Action
What key insight or learning from this session resonates most with me, and what do I sense God is inviting me to do in response?
Shared Prayer
What are your prayer requests?​
Closing Prayer
God, You reign forever; let me submit to Your rule and have You reign within me now, and forevermore. Amen.
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In-Between Chats: Personal Reflection
  1. What’s more important to you: your earthly investments or your soul’s investment into eternal life?
  2. What must you do to start living your faith more firmly in the Almighty Established God?
  3. How can you practically establish your soul in God rather than temporary securities this week?
Edition Writer: Rev Kevin Zondagh

Methodist Minister, Personal Development Specialist, Life Coach, Relationship Coach and Executive Coach. Founder and Owner of Exemplar Coaching Pty Ltd and CoffeeChatConnect. "We should have the desire to custom design the only life we have. After-all, we buy designer everything. How much more should we Live by Design, not by default?"